Queensland Budget: $42m for maternity services

The Queensland government has announced additional funding for regional and rural maternity services but a timeline has not been set for Cooktown or Weipa to reopen.

Queensland’s Health Minister Shannon Fentiman is “hopeful” the government’s new incentive plan will return maternity services to regional hospitals in the Far North.

Ms Fentiman’s comments came after she announced there would be a $42m allocation in the state’s budget to strengthen rural and remote maternity health services.

But there has not been any announcement as to when services such as Cooktown’s will reopen with adequate staff.

“We’re working very hard to return Cooktown to its previous service level … the vacancy has been there for some months and I am working with the (TCHHS) to do everything we can to attract the workforce we need to Cooktown,” Ms Fentiman said.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman is hopeful the government’s incentive policy will return maternity services to FNQ. Picture: Annette Dew

“We know there is a shortage of a maternity workforce in rural and remote Queensland, and that has been tough for many mums and families.

“I am absolutely determined to deliver for local families because we want women to have the very best health care close to home, especially when it comes to maternity services.

“(We’ll) be looking locally at place-based models of care that will work for local communities. What will work in Cooktown may not necessarily work in Chinchilla.

“That’s why we want to work with communities to get the very best models of care. This money can be used for training of local staff, it can be used to facilitate better telehealth appointments for women.”

The Cooktown Multipurpose Health Service has struggled to recruit and retain staff through a number of ongoing issues including a bungled E-health system rollout. Picture: Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service

Ms Fentiman said part of the $42m package would be dedicated to attracting new staff and the government had incentives on offer to entice health workers to move from other states to regional Queensland.

But incentives have so far been unable to attract new staff to Cairns.

A recent obstetrician position listed on the Australian Medical Association Queensland jobs board offered financial underwriting for 12-months and an urgent call for maternity locums paying $2,000 per day for a year was issued by Cairns Hospital, but positions have yet to be filled.

Ms Fentiman said the government had been in receipt of “hundreds” of inquiries regarding its latest incentive program but could not comment on when those inquiries would convert to sneakers on the vinyl.

“There is already $70,000 on the table for dedicated staff to move from interstate or overseas to work in rural and regional Queensland,” she said.

Opposition leader David Crisafulli spoke to frustrated Cooktown residents about the problems they faced when working in and accessing their local healthcare system. The opposition has demanded the government be more transparent with how the investment will convert to more health staff. Photo: Supplied

“We’ve had hundreds of inquiries for a workforce incentive program, so I’m really hoping we will be able to return that service really soon.”

Ms Fentiman blamed “global workforce shortages” for the lack of maternity health staff in the regions.

“Coming out of Covid … we’ve had a lot of health staff that have really been burnt out and unfortunately they’ve left the system … this is not unique to Far North Queensland,” she said.

“We need more (maternity staff) and that’s what I’m focused on.

“I think there’s so much we can do to market this part of the world to attract clinicians here.”

The LNP opposition is demanding the government be more transparent on how the announced funds will be spent.

Callide MP Bryson Head said uncertainty was embedded in the government’s announcement.

“The Palaszczuk Government has been dragged kicking and screaming to step up and so much as utter a commitment to deliver services in rural and regional Queensland,” Mr Head said.

“It took a city the size of Gladstone to go on birthing bypass for the Palaszczuk Labor Government to begin to accept their history of failures.”

“I welcome any genuine commitment to deliver more maternity services to rural and regional Queensland, but will not hold my breath until I see outcomes and services physically delivered in our communities.

“This announcement does not come with any hard and fast dates, checkpoints, or milestones. It doesn’t even say what communities will benefit.”

Originally published as Queensland Budget: $42m for maternity services